206 Ascent and Measurement of Wha-ra-rai^ 



estimated miles, when we came to a resting place, lighted a 

 fire, and breakfasted. Here I observed the barometer at nine 

 in the morning, and found the mercury stood at 27 in. 35 pts. ; 

 so that it had fallen, by our ascent, since yesterday morning, 

 2 in. 75 pts., which gave our height at this station only 2660 ft. 

 above the level of the sea. The thermometer was now at 

 59°, which showed that we had already changed our temper- 

 ature of climate 22°. 



After breakfast, we continued our journey by the same 

 circuitous path in the woods, for about seven or eight miles, 

 according to our estimation, when we came to the end of it, 

 where we found a small hut that appeared to have been lately 

 occupied by some of the natives, who had been thus far up the 

 mountain, felling of trees, and shaping them out in the rough 

 for canoes, planks, and other purposes ; and, as it is necessary 

 to make a path for dragging these 4own to the sea-side, this 

 place appeared to be the farthest extent they had yet pene- 

 trated np the mountain for timber. 



Here we w^ere advised by our guide to stop for the night, 

 as many of the party who were under heavy burdens, he said, 

 had lagged behind, and were so tired, that they could not 

 proceed further without some refreshment and a night's rest ; 

 besides, he assured us that we were near the upper edge of the 

 forest, and would, with ease, reach the top of the mountain 

 early next day. We therefore took his advice ; and, as the 

 party arrived, they in a short time erected a village of small 

 huts, to shelter themselves and us comfortably for the night. 



Since we entered the wood in the morning, our view was 

 limited by a continued dense forest of trees, bushes, and tall 

 ferns, on both sides of our path, so that we saw neither the sea 

 nor the mountain, though the day was quite clear and serene 

 all the time. In many places we found the wood had been 

 thinned, by the natives having cut down the larger trees for 

 domestic and other purposes ; this afforded a good opportunity 

 to botanise as we came along, by keeping several of the 

 natives employed on both sides of the path, in bringing me 

 branches of whatever tree, bush, or plant they could find 

 either in flower, fruit, or seed. 



We observed here and there, on the side of our path, little 

 consecrated spots, pointed out to us by taboo sticks, stuck in the 

 ground, near a bush or under a tree ; in passing these places, 

 the natives always muttered a prayer or hymn, and made 

 some offering, as they said, to their Eatooa, or god, by 

 leaving alittle piece of fruit, vegetable, or something or other, 

 at these consecrated spots. Even in this distant solitary hut, 

 we found a corner of it consecrated by one of these taboo 



